Background:
I have a successful background in team orientated management with thirty years of experience in business affairs. I have a professional approach to solving problems and have always been able to identify strategic objectives and can successfully implement ideas and plans.
My objective is to provide a stable management base and provide quality leadership through the implementation of sound business management and financial strategies that will enable Vision Employment Support Services to be a viable and sustainable service that is of benefit to our clients and the community.
As a founding Trustee, I saw the need for a unique service designed with all the focus on our clients needs. Although “Governance” issues required me to step down from the Board, I maintain an active, healthy and positive relationship with our current Board.
I remain committed to developing our service to our clients and to providing the opportunity for our staff to develop personally and to grow and develop as employees of Vision.

Background:
Due to disabilities I went to Canterbury University and completed a Bachelor of Arts Degree with a double major in English and Classics.  I then went on and became ann ESOL teacher after doing my TESOL Certificate and gaining a Merit Pass, which I did for approximately eight years
I have been employed by Vision Employment Support Services since 2005.  During my time at Vision I have had two key achievements.  The first was in June 2008 when I was the first person in New Zealand to have attained the National Diploma in Employment Support.  I have also recently become an Assessor after doing the required unit to do this.  The other highlight in my profession at Vision Employment was being nominated by my manager, Des Wesley, to ASENZ as the “Supported Employment Practitioner of the Year” and I was given the honour of this award in 2008. A further highlight of my career was being given the title of Senior Employment Consultant and as such I help train and support my colleagues.
I am very passionate in helping people with disabilities and to help them into employment opportunities and give ongoing support as needed.  I feel very fortunate to be part of the team here at Vision Employment and to have been employed from when Vision Employment Support Services accomplished getting their first Ministry of Social Development’s contract 

Background:
I have very strong work ethics which encompass loyalty, integrity and the desire to help others. I strongly believe that every person is unique and possess their own skills and abilities..
During my career as an enrolled nurse, I have always strived to bring the same qualities of care to my work as I would while nursing patient.
I have a wide variety of experience gathered while working with an extensive range of people as well as different aspects of community involvement and organizations. Prior to accepting my position as an Employment Consultant with Vision, I served as a Board Trustee for four years with three of them as Board Secretary. I have been privileged to be involved with Vision from its concept and to have had the opportunity to help with the development of the service from it's small beginnings to the excellent service it provides to the community today. 
II consider myself to be a team player and enjoy meeting and becoming involved with a wide range of people. I feel very privileged to be part of the Vision team of people who are all dedicated in their desire to help disabled members of our community to find paid employment and to offer ongoing supports to our clients to help them to develop and grow in their choice of employment..

Gail Sila 

Background:
The majority of my experience is drawn from being a wife and mother and from working with a wide variety of people in the workforce and various community organisations. I spent many years as a co-president on our local plunket committee, helping organise events and fairs for fundraising as well as community work assisting new mothers.
A large portion of my past working life was spent at the National Bank, filling many different roles in several branches around New Zealand. I have worked as a "Teacher Aide" for children with aspergers syndrome and dispraxia and as a Sales Representative, Receptionist and Dairy Manager.  
At present I also wear several part time and casual hats and manage to juggle those and family commitments, an intriguing challenge. I am a Totalisator Supervisor for various jockey, harness and greyhound clubs around New Zealand and also for the New Zealand Racing Board. In this capacity, I am involved in the training of new staff, for the Canterbury region.  I own and operate a small commercial cleaning business and am an administrator and Stage Manager for a dance school. I really enjoy working with and helping people.                                                                                                                                                                          
 I feel extremely privileged and thrilled to be part of  the wonderful team at Vision, who are dedicated in their role to assist people, with disabilities, into paid employment and offer ongoing support to help them gain independence in their chosen field. It is very rewarding working with our clients, to help them to develop and to maintain the employment of their choice.

Employment Consultant 

Background: 
I have a passion and understanding of how Vision's clients feel and i know what supports are required on an individual basis. Job coaching is very involved and includes doing task analysis, preparing appropriate task sheets, workplace coaching, mentoring and rapport building with our clients, employers, co-workers and other community organisations.
In recent years, I have been working in Aged Care as a Diversional Therapist. I have experience working in demetia care dealing with challenging behaviours. I am an empathic and compassionate person and I relate very well to all types of people.
I also volunteer in the community being a board member of the Sumner Bays Union Trust. This enables me to contibute to the community, especially the aged sector which I am passionate about. We have implemented initiatives such as a craft market, computing for older people, a community garden, several social groups like "Coffee and Conversation", monthly entertainment of the older people of Redcliff's and Sumner, a music and movement group for children and we are working on establishing a "Men's Shed".
I am a very proud mother of three wonderful children. My family is my first prority and my role as a job coach fits in well with my family life. I also freelance as a photographer andDJ. I have a regular radio show and am passionate about music and art.
I am excited to part of the team at Vision Employment and feel very blesssed to have this opportunity. 

Job Coach

 Background:
With 20 years spent in the classroom teaching primary school age children, 25 years coaching high performance level athletes in the sport of gymnastics and 7 years in employment recruitment, I bring to Vision a range of related skills and experiences.
While working in employment I was involved very closely with a diverse range of community groups, employers and people seeking employment. One of my responsibilities was administering a fund to assist people with disabilities into employment. It was while involved in this work that I first came in contact with the team at Vision Employment Support Services. An important aspect of my work was assisting young people into apprenticeships.
I have also been heavily involved in community organizations, being the founder of the Avon City Gymnastic Club Inc. I was also involved in setting up Apprentice Training NZ in Canterbury, and was Chairperson for the first 2 years. ATNZ employed apprentices in the engineering field, and coordinated their employment and training until they completed their apprenticeship. At present I am one of the founding members and President of the Selwyn dog Training Club, a club that is now in its fifth year of operation.

 Paul Irving 

Background:
Hi, I'm Paul Irving. I am married to Fiona and we have a 10 year old son Sam and a 11 year old daughter Jasmine. Together we live on a 2 1/2 acre lifestyle block in Kirwee. 
As well as a firm commitment to my family, I am also an avid sportsman with an interest in a wide range of sporting activities. Unfortunately, my interest these days are more as a sideline supporter for Jasmine and Sam and my pupils representing Riccarton Primary in  a myriad of sports.
My background is in teaching. I am currently the Principal at Riccarton Primary School. I am sure that my life and work experience will be beneficial to the Vision Employment Support Services Trust. I am looking forward to using my experiences to contribute to the effective governance of an already well established organisation.

 Rob Spijkerman 

 Background:
In the late 1990’s I suffered a debilitating back injury which made me rethink the way I see the world and how I got about in it. While it didn’t totally immobilise me it did make me realise that I could no longer be the ‘typical’ male who was 6 foot tall, bullet proof and could do it all. Suddenly I had to ask for help, and that in itself was hard enough but then to find that I was no longer as employable as before was a real wakeup call.      
Even after going to university to gain a computer science degree employment was not easy to gain and after 8 years of struggle I found Vision and in a matter of weeks they had found a wonderful employment opportunity for me.     
It is my belief that this experience has made me a person well suited to assist Vision in their goal of assisting people to find gainful employment and I look forward to be able to assist the board of Trustees to further the goals of the Vision Supported Employment Trust.

 Trish Hunter

 Background:

 Service Advisor